JACK WILSHERE VINDICATED

Back in September 2014 we wrote a blog about Arsenal’s reserves beating Tottenham’s first team in 1970. Most Arsenal fans already knew about the time this happened in 1980.

However, at the recent Arsenal Supporters’ End of Year Event, whilst we were chatting to Martin Hayes he reminded us of yet another time that Arsenal’s reserves beat Tottenham’s first team. This game took place on 29 March 1983. The teamsheet is shown below, and that is how the teams lined up.

To give you an idea of the difference in experience between the two teams, we’ve put together this table:

Player League Apps Age Player League Apps Age Caps Lewin 0 18y 10m Parkes 3 20y 2m – Kay 0 19y 2m Perryman 542 32y 4m 1 Caesar 0 17y 0m Corbett 5 20y 1m – O’Shea 6 20y 0m Price 244 29y 0m 20 Hill 0 19y 4m Lacy 270 31y 7m – Chapman 120 23y 3m Villa 354 30y 7m 25 Cork 0 20y 5m Hazard 52 23y 1m – Gorman 4 19y 7m Archibald 231 26y 6m 20 Hayes 0 17y 0m Gibson 12 20y 3m – Meade 20 20y 4m Hoddle 252 25y 5m 16 Lee 0 17y 8m Crooks 240 25y 0m – Gerbaldi 0 18y 5m Crook 8 20y 2m – Average 13 19y 3m 184 25y 4m 7

Former Arsenal apprentice Gary Lewin had been loaned in from Barnet as George Wood was the only fit goalkeeper at the club. None of the Arsenal players had any international caps, in fact most of them had no first team experience. It really was boys against men.

The Tottenham Weekly Herald tried to blame the defeat on the Highbury pitch and the swirling wind.

So, what do you think of Tottenham?

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